Stanley Market

Most likely the visitor has already heard about the Stanley Market. This is the place to find silk garments, sportswear, art, Chinese costume jewel, souvenirs and other bargains, and is definitely worth the half-day or so it will take to visit. But Stanley offers much more to while away the hours. There is relaxing beach, quiet waterfront restaurants, a Tin Hau Temple, the Old Stanley Fort (accessible only with a permit) and some historic military sites. Stanley was heavily shelled in World War Ⅱ, and it is believed that the Tin Hau Goddess saved villager’s lives. The temple is located on the outskirts of Ma Hang Village, beyond the Stanley Market and picturesque bay. A military cemetery opposite St. Stephen’s Beach is the final resting place of allied soldiers who died here during the war. At the other end of the village the visitor will find the Old Police Station. An historical landmark, it was renovated in 1993 into a thoroughly modern restaurant that retains its unusual heritage.

Thin Hau Temple is located in the heart of Yau Ma Tei and is Hong Kong’s most interesting temple complex. The four temples inside are nearly a century old. The main temple is dedicated to the Taoist deity Tin Hau, Goddess of the Sea. The others are devoted to the God of the City, God of the Earth and Goddess of Mercy. In the courtyard, fortune-tellers read chime (bamboo fortune sticks), which contain cryptic messages that need to be translated.